Method of and apparatus for feeding bags from a stack



. Sept; 30, 1941. w. E. HIGGINBOTTOM METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK Fiied' May 28, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept; 1941. w. E. HIGGINBOTTOM ,4 METHOD OF AND' API'ARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK 8 Sheets-Sheet 2:

Filed May 28, 1938 P 1 w. E. HIGGINBOTTOM METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK FiIed May 28, 1958 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 30, 19,41. w. E. HIGGINBOTTOM ,4

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK Filed May 28, 1938 a Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 30, 14941. w. E, HIGGINBOTTOM 2,257,465

METHCD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK,

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK Filed May 28, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

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Sept. 30, 19 41. w. HIGGINBOTTOM 2, 6

METHOD OF AND 'APP RATUs FORFEEPING mes FROM A STACK Filed May 28, 1938 -8Sheets-Sheec. v

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METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM STACK Filed May28, s 8 Sh aets Sheet.8

*Y FT 1 48 U f LAJ INVIENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

" Patented Sept. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING BAGS FROM A STACK William E. Higginbottom, Radnor, Pa., assignor to Benjamin C. Betner Company, Devon, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application May 2a,

1938, Serial No. 210,821

'31 Claims. (or 93-8) My invention relates to methods of and apparatus for .feeding'bags of paper or equivalent material, and particularly to systems for feeding bags, as from a. stack thereof, individually and in succession to an assembly station at which closure elements are applied thereto to constitute assemblies later to be filled and finally closed. In accordance with my invention, a strip of paper, or equivalent material, is fed along a path to and beyond several successive stations at which are successively performed various folding and cutting operations with eventual successive severances from the strip at intervals to form closure members for bagswhich are fed in succession, as from a stack, during progress of the strip, and which, in turn, are attachedat an assembly station to the successively formed closure members preferably before their severance from the strip.

More specifically, the bags are removed in succession from the bottom of the stack and fed to the assembly station in position there to overlie a closure member still unsevered from the strip, 1

and at the assembly station the bags in succession are adhesively attached to the strip; preferably, for each feeding or advance movement of the strip, a bag is removed from the bottom of the stack, the bag previously removed from the stack is fed to the assembly station, and a bag there attached to the strip is moved therewith as aforesaid from the assembly station.

My invention also resides in mechanism for removing bags individually from an end, specifically the bottom, of a stack, for feeding them to an assembly station, and for registering them at the assembly station.

My invention further resides in the methods and apparatus having the features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of'my method and for illustration of a preferred apparatus for performing it, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1, in perspective, illustrates the progressive formation of closure elements from av strip of material, their attachment to bags fed from a stack, and severance of the strip between attached bags;

, Fig. 1a is a detail view showing a closure element in end elevation;

Fig.2 is a front elevation of a machine for performing the method illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan viewon enlarged scale of a 55 assembly station A, it is met by a thin, duct;

bag-removing and feeding mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the mechanism of Fig. 5 viewed from its opposite side;

Fig. 7 is an elevational view, taken on line l--'| of Fig. 4;

Figs. 8 and 9 are sectional views illustrative of successive steps of operation of the bag-removing and feeding mechanism;

Fig. 10, in perspective, illustrates a bag and a closure element before their assembly or attachment;

' Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the completed bag and closure assembly;

Fig. 12 is a detail view showing stop mechanism;

Fig. 1315 a detail view, in top plan, of the upper blade of the bag-removing mechanism shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9; r

Fig. 14 is a detail view, top .plan, of the lower blade of the bag-removing mechanism;

Fig. 15 is a detail view on enlarged scale, and in section, illustrating the 'construction of the stack support; I a" Fig. 16, in perspective, illustrates bag-registering mechanism: a

Fig. 171s a circuit diagram .0! an automatic stop arrangement;

Fig. 18, inperspective, illustrates schematically the elements of a stack-feeding arrangement;

Fig. 19. is an elevational view, with parts omitted and parts in section, of an alternative hopper construction;

Fig. 20 is a plan view of parts shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a perspective of parts shown in Figs. 19 and 20; for clarity parts are omitted and other parts broken away;-

Fig. 22 is a side elevational view of a modified form of bag-feeding mechanism;

Fig. 23 is a plan view of the mechanism of Fig. 22 with parts omitted and parts broken direction of the arrows 24, 24 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 25 is an elevational view with parts omitted and parts in section of the mechanism of Fig. 23.

Referring to Fig. 1 the strip S of suitable closure material, preferably or usually paper, is fed from the roll R thereof as by the feed rolls I, 2,

through the station G at which adhesive is applied to one surface thereof as by the roll 3. As

the strip 8 is fed beyond station G toward the Fig. 24 is a side elevational view taken in the strip of metal T which may be suitably directed by a guide 4. As the strips s and T move through station F toward the assembly station, one edge of the strip S is turned, as by the curling or foldving tools 5, 6, -I, 8 and 9, to embrace the metal strip T, as shown in Fig. 1a. The composite strip ST as it emerges from the station F, consists of the flap portion BF for attachment to bags, and a rolled portion C stiffened by the enclosed strip T. As the strip passes through the station N, the flap portion BF thereof, at regular distances corresponding approximately to the width of the bags to which the closure elements are to be applied, is notched or cut, as by knives H), H. The notching station may be located anywhere along the path of the strip S from the time it leaves the roll R until it is severed as hereinafter explained. At the assembly station A, the upper end of one side of a bag B is pressed against an adhesive-coated flap'BF. of thecomposite strip between two successive notches.

As the feed of the strip continues, a bag is carried therewith beyond the assembly station, and a knife I2 severs the composite strip substantially in the middle of one of the notches to provide the bag. and closure assembly shown in Fig. 11. Y

Preferably the strip S is fed intermittently or step-by-step, and during each forward movement of the strip, by amount equal to the length .of one of the completed closure elements CT,

and during each forward movement of the strip, a bag is removed from the bottom of the stack H thereof, as by the gripper mechanism I3, and fed to the transfer station E; concurrently a bag is fed from the transfer station E toward the assembly station A, from which there is being moved, as previously described, a bag already attached to the composite closure strip. The completed assemblies may be removed in any suitable manner, asby the conveyor belts I5 extending to any suitable destination.

S is fed for each cycle of the machine, or rotation of shaft 24, may be adjusted to suit the particular bags by proper setting of the block 22 in the slotted arm 23.

Preferably, in addition to the feed rolls I and 2, there are also provided the second pair of feed rolls 3|, 32, and a third pair of feed rolls 33, 34. The second and third sets of feed rolls are also driven from the rack 2|;speciflcally, upon the shaft of the upper feed roll I is'secured gear 35 in mesh with gear 36 on shaft 31' extending lengthwise of the machine and having thereon gears 38, 39 for driving the gears 40, 41

on the shafts, respectively, of the feed rolls 3| and 33 which are suitably connected as by gears roll 3 rotates, either because of its engagement with the strip S, or by a separate source of power, its periphery dips below the surface of adhesive in the pan 46, thus continuously to present fresh adhesive to the strip S as it is fed thereover.

The tools 5 to 9 are suitably shaped and disposed to engage the under, uncoated side of the strip S and cause one edge thereof to curl over during movement of the strip toward the right, thus to encircle or embrace the metal strip T. Beyond the feed rolls I and 2, the composite strip passes through the housing 41 in which is dis- This same method is-suitable for formation and attachment to hogs *6: closure elements of the type disclosed and claimed in copcnding application Serial No. 74,670, filed April 16, 19.36, by myself and S. Norman Williams.

For illustration of a preferred mechanism for performing the various steps of the method hereinbefore briefly described, reference is made to Figs. 2- and 3 in {which the motor I6, through a suitable one-time clutch, not shown, drives the main shaft n through pulley I8, beltl9 and pulley 20. The feed rolls l, 2 are intermittently oscillated by rack 2l.- One end of the rack is pivotally connected to the block-22 :adjustably secured to the crank-arm 23 on shaft 24 which is driven from the main shaft ll of the machine through the train of gears 25, 26, 21, 28, 29, 30.

' For each rotation of shaft 24 the rack 20 moves forward and back; during its forward movement the pawl 25 on gear 26, which is in mesh with the rack, is, by its engagement with the ratchetclockwise direction to predetermined extent. The

. gear 28 on the shaft of the upper feed roll I is posed a stationary knife H and a movable knife l0 cooperating therewith to notch the uncurled or flap portion T of the strip. The movable knife III is carried by a vertically reciprocating frame member 48, Fig. 16, carried by blocks 49 each having an opening to receive an eccentric 50 attached to the shafts 5|, 5| of the machine.

- During rotation of the shaft, theblocks 49, 49

in mesh with a similar gear on the shaft of the lower feed roll 2' and is, therefore, concurrently rotated in opposite or counterclockwise direction. Thus the two feed rolls engage the opposite faces of the strip S to advance it to the right, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. While the rack 2| moves in.

idly attached to a frame member 49. A plurality of springs 52 between the upper surface of the member 49 and the lower surface of frame member 48 biases the latter upwardly, but the separation between members48 and." is limited by the stop members 53.

By subsequent 'movements of the strip, it is finally brought to the assembly station A in front of the stack H of bags. The bags, by mechanism now described, are removed in succession from the stack and brought, in turn, into engagement withthe successive closure elements formed by notching of the strip.

The stack of collapsed bags is supported in the hopper 54 comprising two plates 55, 55 supported by 'the frame members 56, 51; preferably at least one of the hopper members 55 is adjustable to accommodate bags of different widths. The bottom of the stack is supported by the inwardly directed flanges 58 of side member 55 of the hopper which flanges, as appear fromeFig. 7, terminate short of thefront edge of the stack which is supported at its lower corner by the cross-bar 88 or equivalent. The distance between bar 88 and the forward end of the bottoms 88 is sufficiently great to permit the bottom of a collapsed bag B to swing into the gap between these members, generally as shown in Fig. 15.

Preferably, as shown in that figure, the forward end of each of the bottom members 88 is provided with a bead or abutment R extending above its upper surface so that when a stack of bags is in place, the bottom bag is slightly bowed upwardly. By so shaping the members 88, each bag, as it arrives at the bottom of the stack, is slightly flexed so that the bag bottom tends to pivot about the bead and swing into the gap between the bar' 88 and the supporting plate 58 and open the fold between the bag bottom and the lower side of the bag.

Instead of providing the bottom plates 88 with a bead-R there may be utilized the alternative arrangement shown in Figs. 19-21 which is better suited for a wide variety of bag sizes and bag materials. Upon the forward 'ends of the bottom members 88A, similar to aforesaid members88, is pivotally mounted the tongue |8| whose extension I8! is engaged by the lower end of the screw I58, or equivalent adjustable member, supported by the crosspiece I55 which'may be attached, as by welding, to one of'the plates 88A.

The screw I53 is accessible to the operator for adjustment during the operation of the machine to determine, for the particular bags in the hopper, that angle between the plates 58A and the tilted forward end of member which is best suited to open the fold F of the bottom bag of the stack to receive the blade 85 of the transfer mechanism.

' tween the frame members 88, 81. The shaft 'II is rotated in timed relation to the strip-feeding mechanism by gear 12 thereon which is driven by gear I8 on shaft 14, the speed ratios of the train of gearing being such that the cam III makes one revolution for each revolution of 'shaft 24 of the in the other, to-impart reciprocation to the carriage 88 below the stack of bags.

' The cross-bar or rod 8|, which, as previously stated, extends through a slot 82 in the frame member 51, is provided beyond the frame member with a crank arm ll, Figs. 4 and 6, from which extends pin 18 received by the elongated slot 18 in one arm 88 of the bell-crank lever whose other arm 8| carries a cam follower roll 82 which engages a periphery of a cam 83 on The forward end of member |5| should, as indicated in Fig. 19, engage the under face of the bag adjacent the bottom panel; therefore, if the machine is to be used for' different sizes of bags, provision should be made for changing the distance between the bar 88 and the forward end of the hinged member II. In the particular arrangement disclosed, the plates 88A are held to the bottom of the hopper sides 58 by screws which pass through openings I84, I54, Fig. 21, which are elongated to permit adjustment of the plates 88A lengthwise of the hopper.

For different sizes of bags, it is also necessary to adjust the position of the rear guide members I88; in the preferred arrangement shown in Figs. 21 and 25, the guide members I58 are provided with apertured angle pieces I82, and the hopper sides 85 are provided with slots I88 to recelve bolts |8| which pass through the slots I88 and the angle members I82 to hold the guide members in their adjusted positions.

The carriage 88, Fig. 7, which reciprocates below the bottom of the stack H, comprises a cross-' bar 8|, one end of which extends through a slot in the frame member 81, Figs. 4 and 7, and two reciprocating members 88, 88, which at their forward ends receive the cross-bar 8| and which i are provided with rack portions in mesh with the gears 84, 84 on shaft 88 extending between the frame members 88, 81, Fig. 4.

The upper edges of the reciprocating mem bers 88, 88 are received by the flanged guide rolls 88, 88. Shaft 8| is provided with ball bearings which ride between guides I48, I88. The gear 81 is secured to shaft 88 beyond the side frame 88,

I Figs, 4 and 5, in mesh with the rack member 88 I having at one end a cam follower 88 for engaging the cam III on shaft II which extends beshaft II. Consequently, for each rotation of the shaft II the bell-crank lever is rocked to turn the cross-bar 8| of the reciprocating carriage 88 through a substantial angle. As appears from Figs. 8 and 9, during movement of the cross-bar 8| toward the left, the blade 84 carried by the bar enters the fold F between the bag bottom and the side against which it previously had been flattened, and as the forward movement continues, the bag bottom is received in part between the aforesaid blade member 84, and a lower blade member 85, Fig. 9. (The blades 84, .85 and their support serve the purpose of gripper I3 of Fig. 1.) At about the time the bar 8| arrives at this position, or shortly thereafter, its linear motion stops; it ls:rocked.by cam 83 in counterclockwise direction and thus the blades 84, 85

and move downwardly through the gap between rod 58 and the adjacent ends of flanges 58. The bar 8| then resumes its movement to the left, the

bottom bag is slid along the flange members 58 and out of the gap between bar 58 and support 'ing members 88, The forward movement of the gripper or pusher I3 continues until the leading edge of the bag is received by the bight of the rolls 88, 81 which, as hereinafter described, complete the withdrawal of the bag B from the stack. In brief summary, as each bag in turn becomes the lowermost bag of the stack, its forward end I wardly against the upper side of the bag, there is avoided, creasing of the other'or upper side of the bag; such\ creasing, characteristic of prior arrangements for removing bags from a stack, is undesirable because causing the bag bottom.

when freed from the restraint incident to its witndrawal from the stack, to move into position substantially at right angles to the plane of the body of the bag with consequent difficulties in its further feed or handling.

During the feeding movement of the bag by the rolls 88, 81, the carriage 88 reverses its movement to carry the bag-removing tools 84, 85 back to their original position in readiness for removal of a notches corresponding substantially to the width of one-half of the bag bottom, and its operation is so timed that notch 92 receives the leading end of the bag B as fed toward it by' the reciprocating carriage 69; the other notch 93therefore comes into engagement with the bag at the portion of maximum thickness of the folded bag as it is about to enter the bight of the two rolls.

As the bag emerges from between the rolls.

86, 81, it is directed by the guides 94, 95, 95 to the front end of the table 98 where it is engaged by the fingers 91'which extend upwardly from the rocker arm 98 on the shaft 99 extending between the frames 55, 51. Arm 98 is connected by link I99 to lever IIII on shaft I92 from which extends the arm I93 having thereon a camifollower I94.

The spring I95 connected to arm I95 on shaft I92 biases the cam follower I94 into-engagement with cam I91 on shaft 1|.

The angular position of the cam I91 on shaft finger H8 swings upwardly from below the plane of plates H9, III, to push the bag forwardly to position defined by the stops II2. A

After this registration of the bag with respect to the closure strip ST, the frame 48 is automatically raised by the cams 59 .to press the strip ST into firm adhesive engagement with the bag. Substantially concurrently-the. notching knives III, II are moved toward engagement with the strip. r

By the next feeding movement of the closure strip ST, the attached bag is moved with the strip beyond the assembly station to bring the next pair of notches in the strip in position in registry with the assembly station, and while the strip is in this position, another bag is registered and attached thereto, as previously described; concur- H is such that substantially concurrently with feed of a bag by rolls 85, 81, the fingers 98 swing in clockwise direction to push the bag previously delivered to them between the feed roll 81 and the lower feed roll I98 driven from'the shaft 88 by gears 99 and I99, and before completion of feeding of the bag by the rolls 86, 81, the fingers 91 have been returned to their receiving position, Fig. 8.

The rolls 81, I98 feed the bag, open and foremost, toward the closure strip ST and drop it on to the spaced plates H9, III.

The bag is registered in position partly to overlie the composite closure strip S'll between successive notches by the stops H2, II2 which are mounted for free vertical movement in the fixed frame member N3 of the machine, by the guide plate I, by the fingers H5 movable to engage the side of the bag, and by finger H5 movable to engage the end of the bag.

By mechanism hereinafter described, the finger II8 pushes the bag forwardly until' the open or leading end of the bag is engaged by the stop members II2 properly to determine the extent of overlap of the bag with the closure strip ST, and the fingers H5 push the bag sidewise until arrested by the stop H4 properly to register the bag between the notches in' the closure strip.

The fingers II5 aresecured to shaft 1 I1 and are biased to position below the plane of the bag by the springs II8. To shaft II1 is secured the L-shaped arm I I9 in the path of the cross-member I29 on the lever I2I which, as appears in Fig.6, is adapted to be rocked by the cam I22 on shaft 1 I. The cam is so timed that after delivery .of a bag from the rolls 81, I98, the fingers II5 swing upwardly for sidewise registry of the bag and then substantially immediately spring back to their position to. permit subsequent movement of-the bag by feed belts I22, as hereinafter described. The' finger H9 is attached to shaft I23 from which extends an arm I24 in the-path of'the aforesaid cross-bar, I29 on arm I2 I. Substantially concurrently with operation of fingers I I5,-. the

rently with the upward movement of the member 48, to press that bag into engagement with the strip at the assembly station, the knife I2 is rocked to sever .the closure strip and detach therefrom the assembly comprising the bag previously attached to the strip. This assembly may,

as generically indicated in Fig. 1, be carried away from the machine by the conveyor belts I5 which may run continuously or intermittently at suitthrough the frame members I21 and is provided with a worm gear I39 in mesh with a worm wheel I3I on shaft I32. The shaft I32 is intermittently advanced by the arm I33 loosely pivoted on shaft I32 and having its lower end disposed in the path of an abutment I34 on the reciprocating rack member 68 (Fig. 5). As the rack member moves to the left, Fig. 5, the arm I33 is rocked in clockwise direction, the pawl I35 on the arm engaging the ratchet I36 on shaft I32 to effect movement of the belts I25; upon reverse movement of the rack member 68 the spring I31 returns the arm I33 to its original position.

The belts I25 serve to packthe bags firmly against the bar 59 and insure opening of the fold F; use of belts I25 or their equivalent is particularly necessary when the bags are of stiff material because, in their absence, feeding of bags from the stack may be subject'to frequent delays due to failure of fold F to open.

It has been found that when the forward end of the bag-removing tool was straight, the tool would sometimes abut the edge E of the .bagbottom and would not enter the fold between the bag bottom and the side. This diificulty was overcome by forming the tool, as' shown in Fig. 13, with a cutaway or recess. For feeding bags having a bottom flap of the shape shown in Figs. 10, 11, it was also found desirable to provide-a deep cutaway in the lower blade 85, for it was found that if this blade had a straight edge, difficulty in feeding was sometimes experienced because of occasional engagement of the tool with the edge of the bottom fiap. These feeding difficulties of operation at high speed, it is desirable that it stop promptly upon interruption of the feeding of bags from the stack or to the assembly station; otherwise, a substantial amount of strip material is wasted. To that end, the feed rolls 88 and I88 are electrically insulated in any suitable vmanner from the frame of the machine except when they are in contact with the intermediate feed roll 81. The shaft of roll 88 is supported by arms I38 which are biased as by spring I39 to effect engagement of roll 88 with roll 81. When a bag'is delivered to the rolls by the reciprocating carriage 88, as,previously described, the feed rolls 88, 81 separate slightly.

to permit passage of the bag, but not, of course, to suflicient extent to permit disengagement between the gears 98 and 9I. Similarly, the feed roll I88, carried by arms I48, is biased, as by spring I39, into engagement with the intermediate feed roll 81 so that during feed of a bag by rolls I88 and 81, they separate topermit passage of a bag toward the assembly station. As above described, these two feeding actions are substantially concurrent, i. e., while one bagis being fed by rolls 88, 81 toward fingers 91, another bag is being fed by the rolls 81 and. I88 towards the assembly station. Under normal conditions, therefore, both of rolls 88, I88 should be out of engagement with roll 81 for a predetermined portion of the machine cycle, and for the remainder of the cycle, these rolls are in electrical contact with the roll 81.

As indicated in Fig. 17, a switch I or equivalent is connected in series with the intermediate roll 81, a translating device, generically represented by the solenoid I42, and a suitable source of power indicated conventionallyby a battery I43. The switch MI is controlled by a cam I44 attached to any element of magma chine which makes, for the particular cam shown, one revolution per cycle of the machine, and the angular position. of the cam is such that the switch I4I is open except for .that portion of the cycle during which bags should be between'the feed rolls 81 and 81,188. If, while switch I is closed, there is no bag-between either ofthese pairs of feed rolls, a circuit is completed through the translating device I42 either to give an alarm signal, or preferably immediately to interrupt the operation of the machine. Specifically, the translating device I42 may be an electromagnet whose armature I45 is connected to the latch I48, which holds the control lever I41 of the machine in position to efiect its continuous operation. When the solenoid is energized, as' above explained, the

latch is released, whereupon the control lever,

as by spring I48,- gravity, or equivalent, at once moves to position interrupting further operation of the machine.

For the bag-feeding mechanism of Figs. 4, 5

'and 6 may be substituted thegenerally similar mechanism of Figs. 22-25 of which it is characteristic there is omitted the lower feed roll acters are used to identify corresponding parts.

, Referring to Fig. 25, the bags are removed in succession from the bottom of the stack, by reciprocating mechanism identical with that previously described, and in succession are pre- I 88 of Figs.4 to 7, and in which a reciprocating bag to the left, Fig. 25, until the trailing end of the bag clears the rolls whereupon the ba falls between the guard rails 95A, II4A, in front, or to the right of, the abutment I88 which extends through the slot I81 in the feeding table. The slide I85 which carries the abutment I88 is guided by the two rods I88 which are supported below the feeding table by the brackets I89 and I18. To the slide I85 is attached the rack "I in mesh with the gear I12 on shaft I13 which extends through the side frames 58, 51 and to one end of which, Fig. 23, is attached the gear I14 in mesh with the gear segment I15 at the end of arm I18 pivotally mounted on stud I11 extending from the side frame 58. The cam follower I18 carried by the arm I18 engages the cam I19 on the one-time shaft 1I; arm I18 is biased by spring I88 to maintain engagement between cam follower I18 and cam I19. During each revolution of cam I19 the gear segment I15 oscillates to and-from the position shown in Fig. 22 to elfect rotation of gear I12, Fig. 25, first in one direction and then in the other to reciprocate the abutment I88 from and i being turned upwardly or back during its movement by slide I85, there is provided the elongated arm I8I provided with a fulcrum pin or.v

knife-edge I92 engaging a bearing block I83 nearthe left-hand end of the feed table, Fig. 25. The arm I8I is so biased by spring I 84 that its forward end, during feed of a bag by rolls 88, 81, is above the line of discharge of a bag from the feed rolls. After a bag has cleared the rolls and before its movement by pusher I85, the end last to clear the rolls is pushed downwardly by arm I8I under the control of mechanism now described. Between its pivot I82 and its righthand end, the arm I8I is engaged by a finger I88 suitably attached to a sleeve I81 on the cross bar I88 extending between side frames 58 and 51. From the sleeve I81 depends an arm I89 having at its lower ends cam follower I98 in continuous engagement with the periphery of a cam I9I on shaft II. of the cam I9I is such that substantially immediately a bag has entirely passed beyond the feed rolls 88, 81, the sleeve I81 is swung in counterclockwise direction, whereupon finger I88 depresses the arm I8I to bring the right end thereof substantially below the line of discharge of a bag from the feed rolls. The leading end of the bag is prevented from turning upwardly after it has passed beyond the arm I8I by the plate I92 welded or otherwise suitably attachec to the guide II4A; preferably the plate I92 is so shaped, Fig. 25, that in cooperation with the feeding table it forms a passage converging in the direction of "feed of the bag. Cam I9I is so shaped that before the next bag is fed to rolls 88, 81, the spring-I84 has returned the arm I8 I to-its original position indicated in Fig. 25.

Because of the omission of the lower feed roll sented to the feed rolls 88, 81. which move the arrangement is utilized in the mechanism of Figs. 22 to 25 to bias the roll 88 into engagement with the roll-88. As indicated in Figs. 23 and 25, each of the arms I38 is provided with extension I93 whose uppermost position, Fig 25, is defined by a stop pin I94 threadably engaged by the ledge I98 The angular position which extends from the side members 56, 51, re-

I spectively. when a bag passes between the rolls 86, 81, the spring I95 istensionedto bias the roll 86 to its original position, 25.

In this modification, the mechanism for registering the bag is somewhat different from that disclosed in Figs. 4 to'l; specifically, as the rack III approaches the right-hand limit of its travel, Fig. 25, its forward end engages the arm I98 biased against the adjustable stop I99 by spring 200. Theclockwise movement of arm I98 is communicated through arm 2M and link 202 to the registering finger I I5A on shaft 203. This movement of finger I I5A away from the observer, Fig. 25, or toward the bottom of the sheet, as viewed in Fig. 23, insures alignment of the bag with the guide rail IIlA and thus insures the bag is in proper position to receive a closure member, as hereinbefore described.

In this modification also, the belts I25 of Figs. 4 to 7 are dispensed with and in lieu thereof are utilized the two star wheels 204 or equivalent; the star wheels are mounted upon the shaft I32 which, as previously described, is intermittently moved in one direction, specifically clockwise, as

viewed in Fig. 25. The star wheels are so positioned, as more clearly shown in Fig. 19, that they engage the forward ends of bags in the stack H while the bags so engaged arev above the position for which the distance or spacing between the rear guard rails I59 and the forward guard rails is more or less exactly equal to the length of the collapsed bags. The plate I59; as appears in Fig. 19, is curved so that the length of the hopper near the top thereof is suitably greater than the length of the collapsed bags to facilitate dropping groups of bags into the hopper. Above the star wheels, the bags, as illustrated by Fig-19. are not in alignment with each other, but in passing the star wheels they are all. aligned because each, in turn, as it passes the star wheel is forced to the right, Fig. 19, to bringits right-hand edge against the guard bars I59. The star wheels also insure that the bottom bag of the stack is always in the position of the bottom bag of Fig. 29 and is not,

because of friction, or misalignment, held above the position of the bottom bag of Fig. 29 and so incapable of being removed from the stack by th transfermechanism 84, 85. i.

The starv wheels 2 serve to press the stack of bags firmly against the bar 59 and so insure opening of. fold F of the lowermost bag even though the bags are of stiff material; the coactlon 'of the forward end of member I5I which bends the bags upwardly, Fig; 19, their bottom panels with all bag bottoms presented toward the same end of the stack engaging the end bag of the stack within the fold defined by the flattening of the bag bottom against said side of the bag, turning the bottom of the bag in its entirety away from the stack in direction to maintain said fold substantially closed, and thereafter removing the bag bodily from the stack in direction substantially parallel to the stack and away from the open ends of the bags thereof.

2. The method which comprises arranging col- 5 the fold defined by flattening of the bag bottom against its side, and removing the bags in succession from said stack by turning the entire bottom .of each bag when at the bottom of the stack away from the bottom of the stack and in 10 direction to maintain said fold substantially closed, and by thereafter sliding the bag from the stack.

3. In the art of making bag and closure as-- semblies, the method which comprises intermittently feeding a strip of closure material along a path toward an assembly station, during the feeding movement of the strip, removing bags in succession from a stack thereof and feeding them endwise and in succession to said assembly sta tion, and, while the strip is stationary, attaching a bag at said assembly station to said strip and severing the strip beyond said assembly station to form an assembly comprising a bag and there- .to attached closure member.

5 4. In the art of making bag and closure as' semblies, the method which comprises feeding a strip of closure material toward an assembly station, notching the strip at regular, longitudinally spaced intervals, removing bags in succession from a stack and feeding them in succession to said assembly station, at said assembly station attaching the bags in succession to said strip between successive notches, and severing the strip at each-notch to form assemblies each comprising a bag and thereto attached closure member.

5. In the art of making bag and closure assemblies, the method which comprises intermittently feeding a strip of closure material toward an assembly station, at a station in advance of said assembly station notching the strip while it is at rest, during movement of the, strip, removing bags in succession from a stack and feeding them to said assembly station, atsaid assembly station and while-the strip is at rest, applying the bags in successiomto said stripbetween notches thereof, and while "the strip is stationary severing the strip at h-gnotch in succession to form assemblies eacfi eomprising a bag and thereto attached closure member.

6. In the art of makingbag and closure assemblies, the method. which comprises intermittently feeding a stripof closure materialtoward an assembly station, at a station in advance of said assembly station notching the strip while it is at rest, during movement of the strip, removing bags in'suecessio from-a stack and feeding them to said assem station, at said assembly station and while th strip is at rest, applying ,the bags in turn to 'said strip between notches thereof, and while the strip is stationary severing it beyond said assembly station at each notch to form assemblies each comprising a bag and thereto attached closure element.

'1. In the art of making bagpand closure as- 5 semblies, the method which comprises adhesively coating a strip of closure material and feeding it toward an assembly station, feeding a, narrow strip of ductile metal toward said assembly station, curling an edge of said coated strip of closure material to enclose said strip of ductile metal, notching the other edge of said strip of lapsed bags in a stack with each bag having its into adhesive engagement with said strip of closure material between successive notches, and at or beyond said assembly station severing said strips at the notches in succession to provide assemblies each comprising a bag and thereto attached closure element.

8. A machine for making closuremembers and attaching them across the open ends of bags "comprising mechanism for intermittently feedflattened, a second member slightly spaced from said first member to receive the bag bottom, a

' support for said members, and mechanism for '9. A machine for making closure members and attaching them to bags comprising means for feeding a strip of closure material and a narrower strip of ductile metal toward an assembly station, tool structure for turning an edge of said strip of closure material to embrace said metal strip, mechanism for notching the unturned portion of said strip, means for feeding bags in succession into adhesive engagement with the unturned portion of said strip, and means for severing the strip at each notch to detach from the strip a bag and a closure element attached thereto. a

l0. Mechanism for intermittently feeding 'a strip of closure material to an assembly station, means for registering a bag at said station in part to overlie said strip comprising bag-engaging structure movable substantially parallel to said strip and bag-engaging structure movable substantially at right angles to saidstrip, and mechanism timed to press the registered bagand said strip into adhesive engagement with each other while said strip is at rest.

11. A machine comprising structure for supporting a stack of bags, each with its bottom folded against a side thereof, and means for removing the bags .in succession from said stack com-' moving said support adjacent an end of the stack.

15. A machine comprising structure for supporting a stack of collapsed bags at a lower edge thereof, a second stationary stack-supporting structure having a raised portion for engaging the bottom bag of the stack to bow itupwardly slightly and spaced from said first structure to expose the bottom of the lowest bag of the stack, and means for engaging the exposed bag bottom and withdrawing the bag from the stack through the space between said supporting structures.

17. In a machine comprising means for supporting a stack of bags, mechanism for feeding bags from the stack to an assembly station .including feed rolls, a control circuit comprising a switch periodically closed at a predetermined time in the cycle of saidmechanism, a translating device, in circuit with said switch and said feed-rolls, energized when said switch is closed the bag bottom to the opposite side of said support prior to completion of af'bag-removing stroke of said tool.

12. A machine cmprising-means for support ing a stack of collapsedbags, a feed-roll having a notched periphery, and mechanism for removing bags in succession from said stack and feeding them, closed end foremost, toward said feed-roll comprising bag-feeding structure reciprocating in timed relation to rotation of said in event said rolls are not then separated by a bag, and means controlled by said translating device upon energization thereof to effect discontinuance of the operation of said bag-feeding mechanism. A

18. In a machine comprising means for sup.- porting astack of bags, mechanism for feeding bags from the stack to an assembly station comprising feed rolls, mechanism for feeding bag closure material to said assembly station, a .con-

trol circuit comprising a switch periodically closed at a predetermined time in the cycle of said machine, a translating device, in circuit with-said switch and said feed-rolls, energized when said switch is closed in event said rolls are not then separated by a bag, and means controlled by saidtranslating device upon energization thereof to effect discontinuance of the operation of said secend-feeding mechanism.

19. Mechanism comprising structure for supporting a stack of bags, feed rolls disposed ad- 'Jacent anend of said stack, means forremov- .ing bags in succession from said stack and feeding them to said rolls for movement to a transfer porting a stack of bags, feed rells disposed adeach bag to one of said notches, another notch subsequently engaging between the thickest and next thickest'section of the bag bottom.

14. A machine comprising means for supporting a stack of collapsed bags, and means for removing bags in succession from the stack com prising a thin member forentering the fold between the bottom of the end bag of the stack and the side of the bag against which the bottom was jacent an end of said stack, means for removing bags in succession from said stack and feeding them to said rolls for movement to a transfer station, linearly reciprocating structure for moving the bags in reverse direction from said transfer station, and means operating intermittently to prevent the bags during their movement in reverse direction from engaging said rolls and for aligning them before movement.

21. In bag-feeding apparatus, a hopper for a l termination of said stack of bags comprising structure for engaging a lower edge of the stack, plate structure at the bottom of the hopper terminating short of said flrst-named'structure, and a member pivotally mounted upon said plate structure adjust'ably to bow thebottom of the stack.

22. In bag-feeding apparatus, a hopper for a stack of collapsed bags comprising structure for engaging the lower front edge of the stack, a

member at the bottom of the stack forbowing the stack and folded against their sides, which.

comprises concurrently deflecting an end of the bag and its bottom away from the stack while the body of the bag remains stationary in the stack, and thereafter withdrawing the bag from the stack without substantially further unfolding its bottom from its side.

24. The method of withdrawing from a stack of bags a bag with its bottom at an end of the stack and flattened'against the side of the bag,

which comprises deflecting an end of the bot-.

tom bag and its bottom from the bottom of the stack, and thereafter withdrawing the bag from the stack.

25. Apparatus for removing bags from a stack thereof having their-bottoms at the front of the stack and flattened against their sides, comprising means for deflecting thefront end of the bag and its bottom away from the stack while the remainder of the bag remains at rest, and means for thereafter withdrawing the bag forwardly from the stack past the front end of the stack.

26. A machine comprising structure for supporting a stack of bags with their bottoms flattened against their sides, and means for removing the bags in-succession from the stack comprising a tool for entering the fold between the bottom and side of a bag, and means for turning said tool, while within said fold and in engagement with the bag, about an axis substantially parallel to one end of the stack.

27. In the art of making bag and closure assemblies, the method which comprises removing bags in succession from a'stack and feeding them end to end, feeding a strip of closure material in direction normal to the direction of feed of the bags to bring successive portions of the strip in position to extend across successive bags at their open ends, eflecting attachment of the successive bags to aforesaid successive portions of said strip of closure material, and severing the strip to provide assemblies each comprising a bag and a closure member extending across the open end thereof.

28. In the art of making bag and closure assemblies, the method which comprises removing bags from aqstackthereof and feeding them end to end, intermittently feeding a strip of closure material in direction normal to the direction of feed of the bags to bring successive portions of the strip in position to extend across successive bags at their open ends, and, while the strip is at rest between successive feeding movements, attaching a bag thereto and severing the strip toform an amembly comprising a bag and a a closure member thereof.

29. In the art of making bag and closure as semblies, the method which comprises sliding extending across the open end bags, closed end foremost, from a stack thereof and feeding them end to end, open end foremost, toward an assembly station, feeding a strip of closure material toward said assembly station by steps each substantially corresponding with the width of a bag, attaching successive portions of the strip to overlie the open ends of successive bags, and severing the strip to form assemblies each comprising a bag and a closure member extending across the open end thereof..

30. A machine for making bag and closure assemblies comprising mechanism for feeding a strip of closure material -step-by-step toward an assembly station, cyclicallly operated mechanism operative during each cycle to feed a bag open end foremost to said assembly station. reciprocating means at said assembly station for effecting adhesive attachment of the leading portion of the strip across the open end of each successive bag, and means operative between successive cycles of said bag-feeding'mechanism to sever from the strip the leading portion thereof attached to the cluding-a member for entering the fold between the exposed bottom and side of the end bag of the stack, and a belt for frictionally engaging a side of the stack movable to feed the bags toward said supporting structures to ensure opening of said fold of each bag as its bottom is exposed between said structures for entry of saidmember.

WILLIAM E. HIGGINBO'I'I'OM.

intermittently operated 

